Helpful Polymer Clay Techniques

There are many tools and polymer clay techniques to use in sculpting and it's best to understand how to work the machinery before delving into the craft. A finished polymer piece can look extremely different from others. It can take the form of something glasslike, something that looks like sandstone or it can morph into a piece of exquisite jewelry.

How To Use The Pasta MachineIf you're going to try polymer clay sculpting, it's important to figure out how to work with one of the most helpful tools: the pasta machine. These machines can be purchased online or at a variety of arts and craft stores. When using the machine, watch out for air bubbles that can form while smoothing the clay. To avoid this, make sure any folded edges of the clay travels through the machine last.

Using Basic Polymer ToolsPolymer clay consists of fine particles of polyvinyl chloride suspended in plasticizer, which is technically not earth clay. Therefore, there are many different ways to cut, sculpt and design your clay. When cutting the clay, you'll need sharp blades-the sharpest being the tissue blade. You don't have to use this type of blade, and be advised that they are extremely sharp. Use them carefully and keep the blades out of the reach of children.

A brayer can be used if you want to roll a flat sheet of clay, similar to the way a rolling pin rolls out cookie dough. You can find this tool in craft stores. If you want to have a smooth finish on a polymer clay piece, you can use sandpaper or a buffer found at your local hardware store. Cement and gel adhesives work well when you want to attach one polymer clay piece to another.

Polymer Clay Art TipsIf you use a kitchen tool to help you make your polymer piece, do not reuse the utensil in the kitchen. The clay tends to stick to the tools and cannot be fully removed. It's best to keep your clay tools and any regular kitchen items completely separate.

The clay tends to stick to your hands as well. One trick is to rub a little vegetable or olive oil on your hands and rinse with soap and water.

Polymer clay projects are a fun and easy craft and also extremely versatile: You can create colorful polymer clay jewelry, decorative kitchenware, home accents, bowls and vases, beads, dolls or figurines.

One would think crafters would need essential polymer clay supplies that may be both costly and unique to obtain the intricate designs found in polymer clay objects. In fact, polymer clay supplies and tools consist of everything from commercial and homemade tools to everyday items such as kitchen utensils.